For a prince's wedding, even the greenery has royal roots

Updated: May 16, 2018 - 5:29 PM

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For a prince's wedding, even the greenery has royal roots

WINDSOR, England (AP) - Even the foliage in the flower arrangements will have royal roots.

Philippa Craddock, the London florist selected by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to design the blooms for their wedding ceremony, said Wednesday that ferns and branches of silver birch, English oak and beech from Windsor Great Park will be part of the greenery adorning the scenery at nearby St. George's Chapel.

An integral part at that, according to Craddock.

"The base is the foliage, that's where the designs start from, and then the flowers are complementary on top of that, but actually it's very much the foliage and shapes of the branches that will give us the shape of the designs," she told Britain's Press Association.

Windsor Great Park is one of the public open spaces owned by Britain's monarch. Unsurprisingly, its 4,800 acres have quite the pedigree.

William the Conqueror hunted there in the 11th century when the park was a forest. King Charles II was the one who tamed the land in the late 17th century. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the husband she would forever mourn after his death at Windsor Castle, were devoted park patrons.

Harry's great-grandfather, King George VI, set in place the first of 60 oak trees that were planted in honor of his 1937 coronation. Another row of oaks honors Harry's grandfather, Prince Philip, who holds the title of park ranger. Still another celebrated Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday.

Kensington Palace previously revealed that roses, peonies and foxgloves also will be in the church arrangements at Saturday's wedding. Beyond that, Craddock and the garden keeper at Windsor Great Park, John Anderson, are staying respectfully discreet.

"There are moments where I've focused on it being another commission, so it's like working with any one of our couples, and of course you take a step back and you just realize the enormity of it," Craddock said. "It's a huge occasion and we're just hugely privileged."